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I know this is long overdue…. but here it is! The reason why I moved to Hawaii.

The most common question I got asked when I moved was: “Out of all places, why Hawaii?”

Me: “Well, why not?”

There were so many reason that led me to move here. So here it is. Bare with me.

I would say my journey started when I moved away from Savannah to Kennesaw. I moved to pursue a degree that was closer to what I wanted to do. It seemed like the right thing to do. Unfortunately, there were many signs that kept telling me that I did not belong there. I tried giving it a chance, telling myself to weigh it out and that everything will fall into place but that was not the case. Within the first couple of months I was struggling to get used to the lifestyle. I moved without knowing anyone and I even got into a car accident that totaled my car (then my second car got broken into later on). School was not what I expected. I didn’t feel like I belonged there even though I kept trying to convince myself that it was the right decision. In other words, I was not happy. So I decided to do something about it.

In July, I began thinking on what I really wanted to invest my future in. I knew I had to get student loans so if I was going to do it then I wanted to do it right. I researched schools that had good programs in my field. During my search, every time I had to pick a state Hawaii would always be under Georgia in the list. Before I clicked on Hawaii, I remember thinking, “For some reason, I am going to click on this and it will lead me to where I need to go.” I clicked on Hawaii, clicked on the University of Hawaii at Manoa and I fell in love. I said to my self “This is crazy?! But what if I could do this?”. So then it began.

I made a decision of taking off a semester, something I never wanted to do. I knew that taking off a semester meant that I had to work extra hard and as much as I could so I could save up for the big move. It was a big risk. I had no idea if was even accepted yet?! I began working two jobs, one full time and one part time. I would be up for work at 4 am then be home around 10:30pm. I decided to keep quite with everything and just work my butt off. Everything was still uncertain but I was determined. There was nothing but self motivation. My family naturally though it was crazy. (Could you blame them?)

November came and my time was ticking. My lease was ending, school was about to begin again and I had to make a decision to stay or leave. Then one night, my father FaceTimed me and read a letter from the University of Hawaii. I had gotten accepted and things were finally starting to come together. I put my car for sale, turned in my resignation letter and bought a one way ticket to Hawaii.

Although my time in Kennesaw was not the best, it was definitely much needed. It pushed me to pursue my dreams and I met a lot of amazing people along the way. I definitely miss a lot of friends and family but everything has been going pretty well. I have a new job, met amazing people and most importantly I am happy.

So my message to you:

If you have dream or goal (long term or short term) just go for it. The only way you achieve it is if you just START. Don’t worry about what people will think. The point is for you to be happy and feel good about what you are doing. You will never know your limits until you push them. Never stop believing in your self. Do you boo… do you.

Welcome back everyone!

As many of you know I recently moved to Hawaii!!! It’s crazy I’m even saying that but before I tell you that story, I wanted to share with you my crazy adventure I did the day BEFORE the big move.

JANUARY 7, 2018

It’s 4 in the morning and I’m on my way to the Atlanta airport with my family. I had no sleep and it’s a 4 hour drive just to get there. My genius self decided to wait to hold off on breakfast till I was settled into the airport (not the best idea). We finally make it and due to a minor speed bump, I was going to make it JUST in time. This is my first time traveling alone and there are so many thoughts and emotions going through my head as I’m on my way to do this big journey.

My cozy room

My view from my room

It is now 4pm (STILL haven’t eaten) and I finally make it to the beautiful city of Boston. The whole city is still recovering from the snow storm so everything is icy and covered with a foot of snow. I have an hour to get to my Airbnb, get fabulous and get to the venue. I’m beyond HANGRY and I just want to get to my room to drop off all of my luggage. My Airbnb was really cute and cozy and my hosts were so nice and made sure I had everything I needed for that night (they even left the light on for me). HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I broke record and got ready in 15 minutes with my eyeliner ready to slice through some pizza.

Oh yea, I even got a haircut! What!?!?!

Now it’s 5:20pm (still no food) but I finally reach the TD Gardens. Keep in mind that I am all alone just with my phone to get me through this night. As I’m going through some sketchy construction area, my nose fills with the sweet smell of fresh baked pizza. I see the line, then I see the pizza. Guess where I went first? I have early access cause yo girl boujee and got herself a VIP pass. As I’m waiting in line to enter, I chow down one slice of Hawaiian pizza 😉 It’s not enough to tame the beast, but good enough to calm down and get me through the gates.

The line is taking forever but as I’m waiting I manage to meet some fellow fans that were pretty cool and we had some small talk. Our waiting room has it’s own little concession stand which is hella nice and I’m able to get another snack there (still taming the beast within). We finally go in and I’m beyond ready! I wait another HOUR until a band finally opens and by this point it’s now 8:30pm!

FINALLY THE MOMENT WAS HERE

The curtains opened, lights start to pierce through the fog and the vibrations of the music run through my bones. All of my exhaustion and hungriness just floated away. I’m total fan girling now as I hear THE KILLERS coming on. I’m a little worried and feeling a little awkward standing here alone with my popcorn and beer. Then I said “Fuck It!”

The Man: Brandon Flowers

Coolest band ever: The Killers

One of many epic moments

I learned that in order to enjoy what you really love you have to embrace it even if you literally stand out of a crowd. I closed my eyes and sang my heart out louder than I ever have in my own shower. I jumped and cried and I was just so happy with myself.

Me singing my heart out

Me not realizing I was in zoom

Besides waiting about 4 hours in line, the show was absolutely amazing. They had crazy light show going on, confetti everywhere and Ronnie’s drum sticks flew into the crowd. FYI: I recorded almost every song if anyone wants to see lmk. Sadly, the show ended and it was time to figure out a way back to my Airbnb. There is so many people going everywhere and I’m lucky enough to find a Lyft driver nearby as I’m freezing to death waiting.

I get to my room safe and sound and I’m still in awe with everything I did that day. I go to bed thanking God for keeping me safe then I say to myself “yes bitch, you did it” as I fall sleep with a smile on my face.

My roommate and I decided to go on an adventure. A place we both have never been before. Yes, you guessed it by the name of this post, we went to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. And let me tell you, it was breathtaking.

It was our first time stepping into a temple and attending a service. Every inch of that place was covered of an artwork that was out of this world. The presence inside was just peaceful and you could just feel how their faith filled the room.

Although we were not allowed to take pictures inside, it gave us a moment to take everything in and just really admire the beauty behind everything, from the wall carvings to the architectural work inside and outside of the building.

Being there really opened up my mind and reminded me to always be open. There is beauty and good in every part of the world. Our lives can become an endless cycle of eat, sleep, repeat kind of thing. Sometimes you just need to stop and do something spontaneous. Don’t be afraid to try something new or different.

Life is short ( yes another cliché quote) but I mean it is. There is so much that we have yet to discover. Its time to start checking off boxes from your bucket list. Go do you boo. And do it full of awesomeness.

The will is not free – it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect – but there is something behind the will which is free.
– Swami Vivekananda

When I was younger, I remember a boy in my class say that you can only see your dreams when you are sleeping and that they are not real (kid logic, make sense, right?). My teacher overheard and corrected him. She told the whole class that dreams are just a preview of our future and that it is up to us if we want to see them come true.

“Dreams do come true and we can do anything if we set your minds to it.”

Pretty cliche, right? But it’s true.

DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals allows Dreamers to have a chance at achieving the “American Dream”. Dreamers are children that were brought to this country by the decision of their parents. DACA grants education, jobs, and a life in a place that Dreamers call home. These so called “job stealing immigrants” are people saving lives as paramedics, teachers showing your child right from wrong, your friends, your classmates, your neighbors or even your family. That is over 800,000 young people who contribute this country’s economy.

The decision to remove DACA will not in any way bring the Latino community down. This is our opportunity to unite, speak up, stand up, and fight for what is right. There are many ways to help and it starts with you. Talk about it. Bring up the conversation with your co-workers, classmates or maybe even a stranger at a coffee shop. Do something.

Here’s how:

Text RESIST to 50409 and it will allow you to send a fax via text to your senators.

Call Congress at (202) 224-3121

Call the White House at (202) 224-3121

Ask them to defend and preserve DACA and to vote in favor of the Dream Act.

What you are about to see is a black and white film photography series of my friends that are DACA recipients at Armstrong State University. It was an experiment with lighting and layering where the the students in the photos hand wrote a small definition of who they are. These diptychs represent their past, present and future. DACA students are

So my friends and I have been planning this awesome trip to a sunflower farm for about a couple of weeks. Every time we wanted to go something would always come up so we had to bail. We checked the times of when the farm was open and so one day we all just got dressed up and left. We were all excited because it was the first time for everyone. We drove about 50 min with rain falling and stoping then falling again. Once we reach the area, the rain had cleared but we could only see what we thought was a cornfield. So after going around and around I decided to call because we thought we were lost. That was the moment we received the worst news ever. The sunflower season was over and they had cut down all the flowers.

The End.

Ok I know that wasn’t the most interesting story, but I tell you this because there was a bigger meaning than getting our hearts broken. When we left the farm my friend ask me to drive back. So we parked in this beautiful neighborhood to switch spots. When I got out I saw there was a row of daisies so we did a quick little photoshoot.

It turned out to be really nice and although it wasn’t the sunflowers in our background we were able to see the beauty in these daisies. People can be blinded or be disappointed by their expectations. That day was a great example of being open minded. Things won’t always go your way and you can’t put yourself down for it. Sometimes you have to see the beauty in things and be more optimistic. We still had fun and we were able to turn what we thought was a waste of time into a beautiful memory.

Life is to short to dwell on the past. The flowers were cut and there was nothing we could do about it. But that didn’t mean that the flowers next to it weren’t good enough.

QOTD: ” You can plan a pretty picnic. But you can’t predict the weather.” – OutKast

I’ve lately been in love with this amazing weather! Although today started off a bit rainy, the sun did not fail to bring us some shine and a nice breeze. This season is perfect to bring out all your flowy dresses and fun hats!

But first, let me tell you about a new discovery that I made. As you know, I recently moved to a new city so I’ve been exploring non-stop for some great local stores. A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a hidden gem named Ecologie Vintage. I am a huge sucker for local artist so I decided to check them out. You won’t believe what I found….

The first thing I said was, “don’t judge it on the hanger. You know better Jocelyne.” So I gave it try and look where we are now.

This dress was perfect for my day off. And the best part… it was only $3! (shhh! don’t tell anyone)

So if you are ever in the area, go check them out! They are super nice and you never know what you might find 😉

Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to discuss the most important thing for a bride… her dress. Getting married is a special day for everyone. Whether it’s her first or her third, the bride deserves to feel special. I have been a bridal stylist for a little over a year now, and I’m excited to share with you some amazing tips from a stylist’s point of view that can help make shopping for “the one” easy-peezy (it’s about to get juicy).

Let’s get started!

MENTAL PREP: On your wedding day, you can shine as much as you want, and you are the boss because it’s YOUR DAY! OWN IT, GUUURL! Be positive and confident, have fun, and most importantly, have an open mind. If you are a ballgown princess bride be open to trying on a mermaid. You’ll be surprised how great you can look in one 😉

RESEARCH: Having a visual reference is great way to give your stylist a starting point. Go through the store’s catalog or website and save your favorites. Even Pinterest is a huge help! It gives you, the bride, an idea of what to expect and not get overwhelmed when you walk into a store.

GUEST: I know we all want to share this amazing experience with everyone and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by not including someone. However, having too many guests can bring a lot of opinions and it can get overwhelming for you and everyone else around you. Keep your party to a minimum. Seeing your dress is also a great surprise for your guest on the day of your wedding.

BUDGET: A wedding, big or small, can get very pricey. When you budget for a dress be sure to include the following: your dress (duh), undergarments, shoes, accessories, and the big one, alterations. A lot of brides tend to forget about alteration which can sometimes be as much of your dress or even more.

TIME: My answer is no, you are not crazy if you buy your dress a year in advance. A wedding dress can take weeks to get in. On top of that you also need time for alterations. You don’t want to wait till the last minute and not have time to fix any possible errors. Believe me, I’ve seen it and it’s not pretty.

Well there you have it folks! Feel free to drop down any questions below and let me know how your experience on finding ‘the one’ goes!

It’s official guys, I’m 21! (WHOO HOO) To be honest, its been quite a journey. Turning 21 definitely feels great, but it is an age, at least for me, where I have learned a lot about myself.

I recently moved to a town that I never been to before. Where nobody knows me, where I’m no one’s regular coffee customer, and where I’m really just a no one. As scary as it sounds, I actually really like it. It has given me a chance to start over. I’ve met amazing people, learned new things and picked a new hobby (ehem…netflix).

This year did start off a bit rough (new school, stolen phone, car accident…just to name a few). However, that has not stopped me. Being a young adult comes with a lot of questions. Am I in the right path? Is the struggle even worth it? What happens next? I am here to remind you and myself that whatever life throws at you, IT WILL BE OK!

Now to end this post I want to give a shout out to all my peeps celebrating their birthday in this lovely month of February. Till next time guys!

Its me again, and I’m finally able to share my excitement with ( if you haven’t guessed ) FALL! Although it still gets pretty warm in the afternoons down here, the morning breeze is to die for…..And you can’t forget the countless outfits this season brings us. For starters, here’s one of mine!

This blouse was found on sale (of course) at Aeropostale. I absolutely love it because its loose (hides the rolls ), SUPER comfy, and has cute detailed tassels on the back and arms. Now, let me tell you about these jeans. For starters, they are $7 bucks from Forever 21 and they are so worth your money! You can never go wrong with a good pair of jeans (it also makes the 🍑 look good 😉 ). As for my favorite part of this post…it’s gotta be the boots. I’ve had these boots for a while and I’ve recently rescued them from the black hole in my closet. If you have an old pair that you think are too old, try them on again, and maybe in a different way. You might find the old shine they once had 🙂